This invention relates to musical instruments, specifically to such musical instruments that incorporate sound trigger technology to generate multiple simultaneous tones and beats within a single time movement when played.
Modern electric musical instruments produce a vibration when a string or a sound trigger is strummed, plucked, struck, or otherwise played. A string vibration is sensed by an electric pickup, which converts the vibration to a signal. When a sound trigger senses pressure it also produces a signal. This signal is sent to a modulating amplifier that produces a sound. A stringed instrument player alters the pitch of the sound by pressing the string down onto the playing surface, called a fret board, thereby changing the length of the vibrating portion of the string For every different position on the fret board called a fret, there is a separate string length or indication of pitch. A limitation of prior electric musical instruments is that a single string can only make a single sound within a single movement of time. Even with the use of multiple pickups sending separate signals, they are not independent because they are sensing the same vibration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,887 to Chapman teaches a fret board and neck design having string like ridges over a sensor board. This design fuses the strings and the fret board surface to make a series of buttons that feel like strings. Each point of contact between the playing surface and the fingertip makes a single signal for a sound. In order to play multiple sounds the player must make contact with multiple playing surface to points. Chapman does not teach a method to integrate true string vibrations with signaling means, which would render an efficient method for incorporation into traditional guitar playing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,119 to Cole teaches an instrument with no strings, using strum sensitive triggers to simulate string sound. Pitch is determined through many push buttons in the fret board. Cole teaches several features of the sensors to provide control over pitch bend and other sound manipulation. Cole teaches away from use of strings for the generation of actual string sound. The performer can play only one sound by pressing or strumming a single pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,838 to Corrigan, III teaches an instrument having a guitar like body using keyboard keys to generate tone. The neck is tubular with slide levers that move to control the pitch of a tone. The instrument can not be played like a traditional guitar in that is has no strings to strum or pluck Corrigan, III does not teach a method to produce multiple simultaneous sounds within a single movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,411 to Kellar teaches an adaptation to a regular guitar. The apparatus adheres to the back of the neck to give the instrument a series of switches on back of said neck, which may be activated by the thumb. The Kellar apparatus requires a separate movement, extra dexterity, and the additional use of the thumb, which would otherwise be used as a reference anchor for the hand. The method of use of the present invention allows trigger actuation using the same finger movements as used to play a traditional guitar, while further offering the ability to produce simultaneous multiple sounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,585 to Starr teaches an instrument similar to Cole, with more advanced electronics that allow enhanced assignment of sounds to different buttons. The object of the present invention is not dependent of onboard electronics to produce fundamental new sound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,251 to Hotta et al. teaches an instrument that has no strings and uses push buttons to trigger melodies and sounds, using buttons to activate and deactivate sounds and data storage to store melodies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,575 to Mishima teaches an instrument that is played upright, has push buttons on the fret board and a cord that is pulled to generate a signal to produce a string tone sound. The player presses the fret button so the instrument can determine pitch. The invention is designed to simulate a cello played with a bow. The pulling of the cord displaces the ability to play the instrument with strings, and impairs the ability to be used as a hand held instrument worn with a strap. An object of the present invention is to have strings over buttons, allowing multiple simultaneous sounds with one movement as well as to maintain the capability to be manufactured and played as a hand held instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,545 to Yoshida teaches an instrument that has strings as well finger board contacts, which are pressed to direct a microprocessor to simulate a particular pitch. The purpose of the finger board contacts is to determine the pitch of a tone, as well as slight variations in the fretting of the string, so as to be able to simulate vibrato effect. The vibration of the string itself is not used, rather the string actuates a switch to turn on a simulation of the string sound.
An object of the present invention is to allow fretting of the strings as in a traditional guitar, generating true acoustical signals from the strings. The player frets a note to shorten the string vibration and uses guitar pickups to amplify the true tone, including any true vibrato effect produced. Another object of the present invention is to use triggers to generate tone signals separate from the strings and to further allow for interface directly to internal or external MIDI tone generators, such as a MIDI drum machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,668 to Segan et al. teaches a guitar having separate push buttons and strings. The player strums the strings to produce simulated string tone and presses buttons to command the microprocessor to generate paticular tones. No part of the playing area has strings arranged over buttons. Since the strings do not produce sound through their natural vibration, rather by actuating a switch, there is no need to fret the strings to produce the desired pitch. The push buttons are used to control the desired pitch, rater than to generate a simultaneous different sounds to accompany the natural pitch of a fretted string.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,119 to Mladek teaches an instrument containing push buttons with no strings. The buttons are arranged similar to guitar frets and pushed to generate notes and chords.
This instrument of the present invention is a String Integrated Sound Trigger Module musical instrument containing electronic triggers within the playing surface of the strings. The integration of sound triggers with traditional strings enables a single player to simultaneously produce multiple melodies and beats in a musical composition. The inventors anticipated trademark for this invention is Zynth(trademark) integrated sound trigger musical instrument.